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China Bans Shark Fin Soup, But Did They Really?

  • Spence Cooper
  • July 10, 2012

Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy in many Asian cultures, and so the fins are harvested around the world in growing numbers to meet the demand.

Writing for the New York Times, Bettina Wassener claims the soup is brewed from dried shark fins, and is largely tasteless and slithery but has considerable prestige as a status symbol.

“Many in China consider it a must-serve at lavish, multicourse banquets to celebrate weddings, anniversaries and corporate and state events.”

But tens of millions of sharks — up to 73 million sharks annually — die a slow death every year because of finning: the inhumane practice of chopping off the shark’s fins and throwing its body back into the sea. The sharks either drown, starve to death, or are are eaten alive by other fish.

And soaring demand for the soup over the past two decades has threatened shark populations globally.

China Bans Shark Fin Soup, But Did They Really?Increased public awareness has led to shark conservation efforts, and several nations have banned shark finning and fishing.

China recently pledged that it would prohibit official banquets from serving shark fin soup, but claimed the ban could take as many as three years to take effect.

The Globe and Mail claims the ban is aimed at least in part at stemming a backlash against lavish public spending.

Nevertheless, China’s pledge to ban shark fin soup is a huge development because China is responsible for an estimated 95 percent of its consumption.

“This is a very positive step forward,”said Andy Cornish, director of conservation at W.W.F. in Hong Kong. “It is the first time that the Chinese central government has expressed a decision to phase out shark fin from banquets funded by taxpayers’ money”

He said the move would send an important signal to consumers in China, the largest market for the fins.

Many hope that China’s ban will help to influence and prevent the soup from being served regularly in Hong Kong, where it is still widely available despite growing public opposition.

Wassener notes that retailers in Hong Kong charge more than 2,000 Hong Kong dollars, or $260, per catty, a traditional weight measure commonly used in markets there.

“Equal to just over one pound, one catty makes about 10 portions of soup, which works out to $26 a portion.”

Several states, including California, have banned the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins. Shark fin sales are also banned in Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and some parts of Canada, as well as the Bahamas and Honduras.

Several high-end restaurants and hotels in Hong Kong have taken shark fin off the menu, but the Hong Kong government refuses to restrict the trade or consumption of shark fins.

“The Hong Kong government has repeatedly dodged the question of implementing a banqueting ban on shark fin soup, saying that it sees no need for such guidelines,”said Mr. Cornish of W.W.F.

“We strongly hope that the new administration in Hong Kong government will shortly follow suit”

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